Flag Football Route Trees: Every Route Explained

Every pass play in football is built from the same set of basic routes. If you know the ten routes on the route tree, you can read any playbook, run any concept, and understand why receivers end up where they end up.

This guide is for flag football and 7-on-7 players, but these routes are exactly the same ones NFL receivers run. The fundamentals do not change, only the speed does.

The Route Tree

The route tree is a numbering system that assigns each route a number from 0 to 9. Odd numbers break outside toward the sideline, even numbers break inside toward the middle of the field, and the routes get deeper as the numbers climb. Some systems number the routes differently, but the routes themselves are the same everywhere. This is the same tree used on our Football 101 page.

0, Hitch

Depth: 5-6 yards | Break: Stop and turn back to the quarterback

Sprint upfield for five or six yards, stop, and turn to face the quarterback. The hitch is a quick, easy throw against defenders who are playing off. Sell the vertical stem so the defender keeps backing up, then stop hard.

1, Quick Out

Depth: About 5 yards | Break: 90 degrees toward the sideline

Three steps upfield, then break flat toward the sideline. The quick out is a timing throw: the quarterback lets it go as the receiver breaks. The risk is a defender sitting in the flat, so a late or inside throw can be picked off.

2, Slant

Depth: About 5 yards | Break: 45 degrees inside

Two or three steps upfield, then break sharply inside at a 45-degree angle. The slant is one of the highest-percentage throws in football. It is quick, it moves the ball away from the sideline, and it works against both man and zone. Do not round off the break, or the defender will jump it.

3, Comeback

Depth: 12-15 yards | Break: Back toward the sideline and the quarterback

Push vertical like a go route, then plant and come back down toward the sideline. The comeback works against a defender who is bailing to protect the deep ball. In flag football, it needs a quarterback who can throw to the sideline on time.

4, Curl

Depth: 10-12 yards | Break: Turn back to the quarterback

Run upfield 10 to 12 yards, then stop and turn back toward the quarterback. The curl finds the soft spot between the underneath and deep defenders. The receiver needs to sit down in the open window and give the quarterback a big target. It is a strong third-and-medium route.

5, Out

Depth: 10-12 yards in flag, 12-15 in tackle | Break: 90 degrees toward the sideline

Run upfield to your landmark, plant your inside foot, and break toward the sideline. It is the longest throw on the tree because the ball travels from the middle of the field to the sideline, so save it for a quarterback with the arm for it.

6, Dig

Depth: 10-12 yards in flag, 12-15 in tackle | Break: 90 degrees inside

Run upfield and break inside across the field. The dig sits behind the underneath defenders and in front of the safeties, in the middle of the field. It needs a quarterback who can drive the ball across the field.

7, Corner

Depth: Break at 10-12 yards | Break: 45 degrees toward the sideline and upfield

Push upfield like a go route, then break toward the back corner of the end zone, or toward the sideline outside the red zone. Against Cover 2 it attacks the space between the corner sitting in the flat and the safety playing deep. It is also a strong red zone route in flag football.

8, Post

Depth: Break at 10-12 yards | Break: 45 degrees inside toward the goalposts

The mirror of the corner route. The post attacks the deep middle of the field. Against two deep safeties it splits them, and against one deep safety it tests his range.

9, Go

Depth: Vertical | Break: None

Line up, run straight as fast as you can, and beat the defender deep. If you are faster than the defender, you are open. Even when the go is not open, it pushes the defense deep and opens up everything underneath.

Three More You Will Use

These are not numbered on the tree, but every flag playbook uses them.

• Flat: One or two steps upfield, then straight toward the sideline at 1-2 yards. It is the quarterback's outlet when nothing else is open.
• Drag: A shallow crossing route at 3-5 yards across the field. Drags create traffic for defenders playing man.
• Seam: A straight vertical up the hash or between the hash and the numbers, run by a slot. It attacks the space between deep defenders.

Putting Routes Together

Individual routes do not win games, route combinations do. When you pair a short route with a deep route on the same side of the field, you create a "high-low" read that forces the defender to pick one. When you pair crossing routes from opposite sides, you create traffic that defenders have to navigate through.

Some classic combinations for flag football:

• Slant + Flat: High-low on the flat defender. Simple and effective.
• Curl + Go: The curl pulls the defender down, the go goes over the top.
• Out + Seam: The out pulls the corner to the sideline, the seam attacks the vacated space.
• Post + Dig: Two routes attacking the middle of the field at different levels.

Practice These Routes

Spiral AI has 30+ routes available with diagrams showing the exact depth, break point, and timing for each one. You can tap on any route to see it animated on the field. Whether you are a player learning routes for the first time or a coach installing a new concept, having the visual makes a huge difference.